Tell about your success without an advanced degree

[Anonymous]

Lawyers and MBAs, this thread is not for you. Folks tuning in from Iowa, also not for you. I want to hear from people who have at most a bachelor's degree, or maybe military experience without a degree, who have managed to have well-paying careers with opportunities for advancement in the DC area.

I'll start. Government employee who entered straight out of undergrad. While my progression has been slow compared to my colleagues with advanced degrees, I am comfortable knowing I have a stable job with six-figure potential. I do sometimes wonder if I should go back for a master's degree just to check the box. Realistically, it wouldn't provide an income boost if I stay in the same career track, but it would make me competitive for future jobs, including a switch to the private sector.

[Anonymous]

I am a federal contractor who entered the workforce right out of undergrad. I am now a GS-14 equivalent making well over six figures at 30. I job-hopped strategically to get here. I despise school so an advanced degree isn’t/wasn’t for me.

[Anonymous]

DH went to trade school after HS. He’s now SVP for a national GC. He talks about getting a BS but it would be for him. A degree won’t change his career path or the opportunities open to him.

[Anonymous]

Sister has an AA with an RN license. She has always had a talent for mgmt. She now oversees multiple nursing homes in NJ/NY and is a VP in the company earning six figures and is nowhere near retirement age.

[Anonymous]

BA. Got a high prestige but grinding job straight out of college. Job hopped strategically. Earned 200k by the time I hit 30. Took time off early 30s when I had kids and to launch a business so that I could have control of my schedule and workload. Earned 6 figures first year and grew steadily after.

Either I'm very good at what I do or I'm incredibly lucky. Not sure which played a bigger role but grateful regardless.

[Anonymous]

Chemical engineering if you can hack it. A BS will get you six figures straight outta college.

[Anonymous]

My brother has a BA from a state university and is CEO of a large company that you all have heard of. My cousin has a BA and is an extremely successful real estate developer.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Can I encourage people to include timelines in their responses? For example, a BA in 1995 and a successful career may not be replicable with a BA in the same discipline in 2015.

In my department, there are plenty of older employees with just a BA (or an MA obtained on the government dime after many years of work). I don't know of anyone hired within the past few years who doesn't have an MA. I don't have any kind of statistics at hand, just anecdotal observations, but I would say no one who has graduated from undergrad since 2010 has been able to secure full-time employment without an advanced degree in my department. I am positive that if I were to apply for my current job, I wouldn't even make it past the initial computer screening because I can't check the required degree box, let alone actually get in front of an HR or hiring officer.

[Anonymous]

B.A. in English, no less, from a state school that would most likely be derided here. After working for other companies/ people, I started my own marketing/ communications/ public relations business about 15 years ago, in a niche area. Regularly pull in $300K per year. I could do more but prefer to take most of the summer off to be at the beach or traveling with my family.

[Anonymous]

BA humanities major to federal contractor, then to fed job for a decade where I took advantage of a lot of training in quantitative skills. Moved to private sector in an area related to fed work and climbed up to VP level over 14 years in a large company. I graduated in the early 90s.

[Anonymous]

I know quite a few BAs who made it big with start ups, and several CEOs who have BAs.

[Anonymous]

I have a BSN in nursing, currently a federal employee staff nurse - make 99 000$ a year. Have no intentions to get any advanced degree. I don't make nearly as much as many people posting here, but it is a very stable good jobs with great benefits.

[Anonymous]

I have a BSN in nursing, currently a federal employee staff nurse - make 99 000$ a year. Have no intentions to get any advanced degree. I don't make nearly as much as many people posting here, but it is a very stable good jobs with great benefits.

[Anonymous]

40 yo, high school diploma, GS14, nearly 20 yrs govt. worked my way up from a GS 5.

[Anonymous]

I've noticed if you are older, with a HS, AA, or BS degree, staying in a job for a long period (say since the 80s or 90s) helps you to move up the ladder and make decent money. If you hop around and shop your resume, you may not get looks if you don't have a graduate degree...